Sebastian's working waterfront project now in compliance with state

SEBASTIAN — It's taken the city less than a week to bring its working waterfront project into compliance with state requirements under the Florida Communities Trust.

"We are now in compliance with the state," City Manager Al Minner said at Wednesday's City Council meeting. "I have asked the state to put something in writing to indicate that we are now in compliance, and asked them for 60 days to submit a revised management plan."

The Fisherman's Landing restaurant, which had caused problems with its full-service bar, live entertainment and sit-down restaurant venture, was closed last week by owner Debbie McManus after she learned it exceeded what is allowed under the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfront grant.

Mayor Jim Hill said he visited the site almost every week for a year to monitor the progress at the old Hurricane Harbor site, and it was never disclosed by representatives for Fisherman's Landing Sebastian that the vision for a small concession stand had been amended to include a full-service restaurant and bar.

"The vision that we were sold from day one was not there," said Hill. "No one from the city said that a full service restaurant, bar and tiki bar would be OK."

After the restaurant opened in early September, Hill said city staff met with representatives from Fisherman's Landing, Bill Tiedge from Indian River Seafood who operates the fishmarket at the front of the building and McManus, to let them know there were compliance issues.

"Within five days, staff said this is not what it is supposed to be," Hill said.

City council candidate Damien Gilliams said the situation at the working waterfront soiled the image of the city, and pieces of information such as a floor plan for the site and the hours of operation are still missing from the management plan. He also chided Minner for not having the leases reviewed by the state before they were executed.

But Minner responded the management plan will be fixed to address areas that were not incorporated into the original lease agreements, and he will be back to the council with the new plan before it is submitted to the state.

"We are working on those things now," said Minner. "We have some loose ends to tie up so we can move on."

He also added while it may have been a mistake not to have the leases approved by the Florida Communities Trust, the state has indicated to him that it was not a major mistake.

"At the time they were executed, we all thought we were on the same page," Minner said.

Vice Mayor Don Wright urged Minner to take his time in preparing the new management plan that will focus on commercial fishing operations and education.

"There's a lot of paperwork that will take time but I'm optimistic that the alternate plan will be successful," Wright said.